Want your home to look like a million bucks, on a budget? You’ve come to the right place. Here’s your source for all the furniture and homeware dupes that will take you one step closer to the lives of Manhattan’s elite in the Gossip Girl Reboot.
Back in the day, we’d watch the OG Gossip Girl series while diligently taking note of Blair Waldorf’s pretty chic outfits, Serena van der Woodsen’s boho-chic looks, or if we were feeling a little bolder, Jenny Humphrey’s goth-fishnet getups. It’s been 8 full years since then, and while the seasons have changed and fashion trends have come and gone — these days it seems like there’s been a shift in our generation’s focus towards something… adultier. Yep, we’re talking furniture and interior design.
While we’re still here for the new cast members, the so-expensive-I-could-cry fashion, and the nostalgia trip, we found ourselves drawn to the exquisite pieces found in the hallowed halls of those luxe New York abodes. And we were not the only ones. In a recent article, Architectural Digest dissected the homes of our new favourite Upper East Siders and highlighted certain statement items that we had to have.
So we took the liberty to help our YouTrip community out by ransacking the ol’ shopping ground till we found a set of compelling Taobao dupes that would evoke the same amount of luxury but at a fraction of the cost. You know you love us!
Shop The Home: Obie Bergmann IV’s Loft
Image credits: Architectural Digest
While he’s often touted as the Dan Humphrey of the Gossip Girl reboot, Obie Bergmann’s socio-economic status is anything but ordinary. Coming from a family of real estate moguls, it comes as no surprise that Obie managed to score this sick loft located by the iconic East River in Brooklyn, New York. Because of his German roots, the loft incorporates modern German architecture styles without going too overboard. After all, Obie is self-professed to be ‘guilty rich’ and tries his best to avoid coming across as opulent.
1. Gaetano Pesce’s ‘Up’ Chair
An icon back in the ’60s, and still an icon today, the Up Chair is the epitome of a statement piece. Why, you ask? Apart from its innovative use of material, it was a symbol of female oppression. If you look closely, the feminine silhouette comes affixed with a ball and chain and was meant to illustrate the idea of women being prisoners of society — a conversation starter for sure.
Image credits: Taobao
If you’re looking to own a poignant yet avant-garde piece of furniture, you can purchase a neat replica from Taobao that’s available in 4 different colourways.
Price: From ¥1880 (~S$395.30)
Purchase yours here.
2. FLOS’ Modular Pendant Light
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a high ceiling to put up a pendant light at home. In fact, what Obie has on display can be adapted to fit the cookie-cutter BTO flat! The good folks over at FLOS understood the importance of modularity and designed a series that gave users complete creative freedom.
Image credits: Taobao
Choose from 10 individual fixtures and create a permutation that’s uniquely yours. Want a shorter pendant light for the dining table? Go for two to three fixtures. Have an awkward corner in the house you need to fill? Go full-on Obie — the options are pretty much endless thanks to Taobao!
Price: From ¥888.30 (~S$186.80) — Modular pieces sold separately.
Purchase yours here.
3. Gestalt New York’s Ivy Table
A coffee table is the centerpiece of every home, which is why it’s so important to choose the right one. At first glance, you might be wondering what is so unique about the coffee table sitting in Obie’s living room — but, as always, the devil is in the details.
Image credits: Gestalt New York
Truly a work of art, isn’t it? Now check out our alternative:
Image credits: Taobao
We understand that the marble aesthetic may not be a look that everyone likes, which is why we kept our Taobao alternative minimalistic yet still a touch industrial to suit any home .
Price: From ¥890 (~S$187)
Purchase yours here.
4. Roll & Hill’s White Bubble Ceiling Fixture
You might be thinking that Obie’s bubble ceiling light looked rather austere compared to the other expensive furniture pieces in his home— but if if we ordered the same size for our humble apartments, it would be grossly out of place #RealTalk. So to remind our readers that size doesn’t always matter, we found a cheaper and better-fitting alternative for the homes here in sunny Singapore.
Image credits: Taobao
Because they’re so modestly sized, you could even purchase a couple and strategically play with the depth of field, giving your home the illusion of space.
Price: From ¥82 (~S$17.40)
Purchase yours here.
Shop the Home : Max Wolfe’s Townhouse
Image credits: House Beautiful
At first glance, you might think the decor in this townhouse is gaudy with a typical old-money aesthetic. On second glance, however, you might begin to notice the purposeful yet kitschy Wes Anderson vibe. And we wouldn’t be surprised. After all, Max Wolfe’s father is an old-school New York-style savant who is unapologetic about his eccentric taste — and it shows.
5. Alexa Hampton x Theodore Alexander Fringed Green Velvet Sofa
Image credits: Good’s Home Furnishing
We hear that velvet has been making a huge comeback, making this Rococo-era lounge chair a worthy investment. Due to its subdued neutral tone of olive, the sofa remains a perfectly versatile choice for any living room.
Image credits: Taobao
While we weren’t able to find an option with the cutesy fringe detailing, don’t let that stop you! We say pay a visit to Spotlight and turn this couch into a fun DIY project that won’t break the bank!
Price: From ¥1560 (~S$328)
Purchase yours here.
6. Osborne & Little’s Ponchielle Gold Ornate Wallpaper
Image credits: Architectural Digest
While we’d love to plaster our homes to replicate the grandeur of the chateaus in Versailles, perhaps it might look quite out of place in a HDB (but hey, if you love it, you do you!).
Image credits: Taobao
Therefore we found a less opulent floral pattern that’s still reminiscent of the wallpaper found in Max’s place.
Price: From ¥60 (~S$12.60)
Purchase yours here.
7. John Koch Antique American Art Deco Chairs x GP&J Baker Nympheus Velvet
When you pair upholstered furniture with a piece of designer fabric, you get a one-of-a-kind combination that’s going to be hard to even remotely replicate. Thus, we went ahead with an armchair that looked just as comfortable and still a head-turner.
Image credits: Taobao
In the most traditional sense, this piece might not shout Art Deco. Still, its polished silhouette and unique shape definitely ticks off some of the boxes. In any case, this piece looks comfortable as hell, and would complement any modern home aesthetic.
Price: From ¥1450 (~S$304.90)
Purchase yours here.
Shop the Home: Julien Calloway’s Walk-In Closet
Image credits: Yahoo
One look at Julien Calloway, and you can tell that she belongs in the hip Tribeca neighbourhood. Edgy and bold, it’s unsurprising that she is a rising social media star. And as a model and a self-professed make-up lover, it comes as no surprise that Julien’s walk-in closet is one of her prized possessions.
8. 1st Dibs Chandelier and Vanity Sconces
If you couldn’t tell by now, our beloved upper east siders love a good Victorian-era styled piece. Of course, that includes the romantic chandelier and sconce set found in Julien’s make-up room. We actually liked that her chandelier remained understated yet elegant.
Image credits: Taobao
Therefore, instead of opting for the usual curves and drop crystals, we went ahead with a brass tone fixture with a modern silhouette. If you aren’t too hot about the sconce, you can choose from 15 different designs!
Price: From ¥868 (~S$186.90) — Chandelier, and ¥150 (~S$31.60) — Sconce
Purchase your chandelier here, and vanity sconce here.
9. Tristan Klismos Ivory Sheepskin Vanity Chair
In theory, a sheepskin vanity chair sounds amazing.But in hot and humid Singapore, we can’t imagine sitting on sheepskin (preparably faux) for extended periods of time without getting all sweaty. Ugh. The solution? Purchase the chair and sheepskin rug separately — so that you can enjoy the aesthetic but without sitting through the discomfort.
Image credits: Taobao
Since the base is white, you can even lose the sheepskin completely if you so desired! This one’s available in 7 different colours.
Price: From ¥390 (~S$82.10)
Purchase yours here.
10. Caracole Vanity
Image credits: Grayson Luxury
No vanity room is complete without a, well, vanity. We really like the Caracole piece because of its luxe minimalist design — and the generous amount of storage space.
Image credits: Taobao
So we did a little searching and found a piece that is pretty similar. It comes in a decent size too. Perhaps, even as luxe as the real deal? Score!
Price: From ¥1880 (~S$395.70)
Purchase yours here.
Ready For Your Upper East Side Makeover?
While most of us won’t have the luxury of staying in epic penthouses and lofts, we can still take a leaf out of the Gossip Girl book. After all, it has been said that you only need one or two statement furniture pieces to define your home. So whether you find yourself wanting a coffee table like Obies’ or a chandelier like Julien’s, we hope that you’ll make use of your YouTrip Card and cash in on the attractive Wholesale Exchange Rates.
If you have a healthy homeware budget and would prefer to splash out on tried and tested alternatives, you can check out our guides on shopping for furniture locally and internationally! Or, if you’re on the hunt for other homeware-related products, maybe our cordless vacuum and air fryer guides might come in handy. Need a refresher on what you can and cannot ship over from Taobao? Check out our guide here.
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*All currency conversion rates are accurate to nearest 10 cents on 23 July 2021 SGT 03:00. Bank card prices are calculated based on 3.25% foreign currency transaction fee.
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